Free tampons and major hospital redevelopment promised in final two weeks of campaign

Premier Daniel Andrews promised free tampons in public places and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy announced funding for a major redevelopment of The Alfred hospital as health continued to dominate the election campaign on Saturday.

Andrews said Labor would make tampons free at train stations and other public places if re-elected, expanding on its existing program in state schools.

Under the $23 million plan, 1500 dispensers would be installed at libraries, courts, public hospitals and places such as Melbourne Museum.

In surveys and polling by The Age, readers have identified the cost of living and health as two of the most important factors that could sway their vote.

Two weeks out from the election and two days before early polling opens, the opposition leader was at The Alfred hospital, spruiking a promise for $2.4 billion in funding to build a new wing, more operating theatres, greater intensive care capacity, extra car parks and an updated emergency and trauma centre.

The announcement is the Coalition’s biggest hospital pledge. Construction would begin in the Coalition’s first term, if elected, and take about five years to complete.

The opposition’s health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier, a former midwife, used to work at The Alfred and described the facilities as “crumbling”.

“A hospital that is not fit for purpose is not up to scratch in the 21st century. That is Labor’s failure, that is Daniel Andrews’ failure,” she said.

Crozier and Guy were joined by Jason Hennessy, whose wife Kylie was unable to get an MRI scan for a brain tumour in Victoria and had to travel to Adelaide.

“I wish I wasn’t standing here. I wish The Alfred had already been redeveloped, it is long overdue,” Hennessy said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier.Credit: Justin McManus

The Alfred is in the Greens-held seat of Prahran, which borders the marginal Liberal electorates of Brighton and Caulfield. Labor is also under threat from the Greens in the neighbouring seat of Albert Park.

Andrews declined to commit any funding for The Alfred, instead saying the Coalition had a track record of selling public hospitals rather than funding them.

Guy ruled out matching Labor’s promise to spend $6 billion over 12 years to build new campuses of the Royal Melbourne and Royal Women’s hospitals in the Arden precinct.

Nearly $12 billion is budgeted for the rail loop over the next 10 years, and the Coalition has been scrutinised about its costings after already committing $8.7 billion to fund 20 new and upgraded hospitals over four years.

Guy reiterated that shelving the first stage of the rail loop made his health bonanza possible.

The Coalition has also committed $125 million to the state’s triple zero call service and plans to recruit an extra 40,000 nurses, while Andrews has promised to subsidise the study fees for more than 10,000 nursing and midwifery students.

Labor has also vowed to give nurses and midwives a $5000 sign-on bonus for joining the struggling public system.

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